Chevrolet Confirms It Will Build Electric Silverado

Chevrolet has confirmed it will become another in the growing number of manufacturers of electric-powered pickup trucks. The Chevrolet Silverado EV joins the previously announced 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup as a second General Motors entry in the upcoming electric-truck sweepstakes. The new competitive shootout will also include an electric version of the Ford F-150, the Rivian R1T, and the Tesla Cybertruck. 

GM President Mark Reuss announced that it would build the Chevrolet Silverado electric pickup truck at the automaker's Factory Zero assembly plant in Detroit, Michigan. The company has said it plans to invest as much as $7 billion in its effort to pivot from trucks, SUVs, and passenger cars with internal combustion engines to electric and autonomous vehicles. To demonstrate that shift in emphasis, the company recently changed its longtime logo to a design more reflective of electric vehicles.

GM said the Silverado electric pickup is designed from the ground up to be an EV, and it will undoubtedly share a great deal of technology with the GMC Hummer EV Pickup that will roll out of the same high-tech plant.

Both will draw on GM's Ultium Drive technology, an EV Erector set of sorts to create a wide variety of battery-electric vehicles. GM has been developing such technology since the GM EV1 of three decades ago. 

The GM Ultium Drive array of modular components consists of five interchangeable drive units and three motors. Ultium Drive pairs the drive units and motors to create front-, rear-, or all-wheel-drive configurations depending upon the vehicle type and application. 

While electric cars are becoming more prevalent, GM engineers are among many who believe that battery electric power is well-suited to high-output propulsion systems like those required by pickups. According to GM, the Chevrolet Silverado EV will offer customers an estimated driving range of more than 400 miles on a full charge.

Consumer and fleet versions of the electric Silverado will be available. Many EV experts point out that electric-powered pickup trucks are well-suited for fleet use because they offer lower operating costs than gasoline- or diesel-powered trucks while requiring less maintenance and experiencing less downtime. 

Chevrolet has not assigned a model year to the Silverado EV, but it is likely to be a 2023 model that could go on sale early next year.

General Motors is the source of information for this article. It was accurate on April 6, 2021, but it may have changed since that date.